Tarikh (al-Tabari) 401
the accounts of past peoples from the Israelites and others
عَابِدٌ مِنَ الرُّهْبَانِ : وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ قَالَ: كَانَ عَابِدٌ مِنْ عُبَّادِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ يعَبْدُ اللَّهَ دَهْرًا طَوِيلًا فِي صَوْمَعَتِهِ [ فَعَفَّ ] وَزَهِدَ حَتَّى شَكَتْهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ إِلَى إِبْلِيسَ، فَقَالُوا: فُلَانٌ قَدْ أَعْيَانَا لَا نُصِيبُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا. قَالَ: فَانْتُدِبَ لَهُ إِبْلِيسُ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَأَتَاهُ فَضَرَبَ دَيْرَهُ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: ابْنُ سَبِيلٍ، افْتَحْ لِي حَتَّى آوِيَ اللَّيْلَةَ فِي دَيْرِكَ. قَالَ لَهُ الْعَابِدُ: هَذِهِ قُرًى مِنْكَ غَيْرُ بَعِيدَةٍ، مِلْ إِلَى بَعْضِهَا فَأْوِ إِلَيْهَا، قَالَ: اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَافْتَحْ لِي فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ اللُّصُوصَ، وَالسِّبَاعَ، قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِالَّذِي أَفْتَحُ لَكَ فَسَكَتَ إِبْلِيسُ، ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بَابَ الدَّيْرِ، فَقَالَ: افْتَحْ لِي، قَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا الْمَسِيحُ قَالَ: إِنْ تَكُنِ الْمَسِيحُ فَلَيْسَ لَكَ لِي حَاجَةً فَقَدْ بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّكَ فَمَوْعِدُكَ الْآخِرَةُ. فَسَكَتَ إِبْلِيسُ، ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ دَيْرَهُ، فَقَالَ: افْتَحْ لِي قَالَ: مَنْ أَنْتَ ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا إِبْلِيسُ، قَالَ: مَا أَنَا بِالَّذِي أَفْتَحُ لَكَ، فَقَالَ إِبْلِيسُ: لَكَ مَا لِلَّهِ، وَلَكَ وَجَعَلَ يُعَاهِدُهُ لَا أَعْمَلُ فِي مَضَرَّةٍ أَبَدًا افْتَحْ، قَالَ: فَنَزَلَ فَفَتَحَ لَهُ الْبَابَ، وَصَعِدَ إِبْلِيسُ فَجَلَسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ: سَلْنِي عَمَّا شِئْتَ أُخْبِرُكَ، فَقَالَ: مَا لِي إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةٌ، قَالَ: فَقَامَ إِبْلِيسُ فَوَلَّى فَنَادَاهُ أَقْبِلْ، فَقَدْ بَدَا لِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ، قَالَ: سَلْ، قَالَ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ أَهْوَنُ لَكُمْ فِي هُلْكِ ابْنِ آدَمَ ؟ قَالَ: السُّكْرُ، فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا أَسْكَرَ ابْنُ آدَمَ لَمْ يَمْتَنِعْ مِنَّا مِنْ شَيْءٍ نُرِيدُهُ ثُمَّ لَعِبْنَا بِهِ كَمَا يَلْعَبُ الصِّبْيَانُ بِالْكُرَةِ، قَالَ: وَمَاذَا ؟ قَالَ: الْحِدَّةُ لَوْ أَنَّ ابْنَ آدَمَ بَلَغَ فِي عِبَادَةِ [ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ] مَا يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى [ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ] مَا يَئِسْنَا أَنْ نَصِيبَهُ فِي بَعْضِ غَضَبِهِ قَالَ: وَمَاذَا ؟ قَالَ: وَالْبُخْلُ، قَالَ: يَأْتِي ابْنُ آدَمَ فَنُقَلِّلُ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عِنْدَهُ، وَنُكْثِرُ مَا فِي أَيْدِي النَّاسِ عِنْدَهُ حَتَّى يَبْخَلَ بِحَقِّ اللَّهِ فِي مَالِهِ فَيَهْلَكُ. عابدان أخوان من بني إسرائيل عَابِدَانِ أَخَوَانِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ : عن أَبُو معَبْدٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ بِلَالَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ يَقُولُ: كَانَ أَخَوَانِ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ خَرَجَا يتعَبْدانِ، فَلَمَّا أَرَادَتِ الطَّرِيقُ أَنْ تُفَرِّقَ بَيْنَهُمَا، قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ: خُذْ أَنْتَ فِي هَذَا الطَّرِيقِ وَآخُذُ أَنَا فِي هَذَا الطَّرِيقِ، فَإِذَا كَانَ رَأْسُ السَّنَةِ فَهُوَ الْمَوْعِدُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ، فَخَرَجَا يَتَعَبَّدَانِ، فَلَمَّا دَنَا رَأْسُ السَّنَةِ اجْتَمَعَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ: أَيُّ ذَنْبٍ فِيمَا عَمِلْتَ أَعْظَمُ ؟ قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا أَنَا أَمْشِي عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ إِذَا بِسُنْبُلَةٍ فَأَخَذْتُهَا فَأَلْقَيْتُهَا فِي إِحْدَى الْأَرْضِينَ أَرْضٍ عَنْ يَمِينِي وَأَرْضٍ عَنْ شِمَالِي، فَلَا أَدْرِي هِيَ الْأَرْضُ الَّتِي أَلْقَيْتُهَا فِيهَا أَمِ الْأُخْرَى، ثُمَّ قَالَ الْمَسْئُولُ لِلسَّائِلِ: أَيُّ ذَنْبٍ فِيمَا عَمِلْتَ أَعْظَمُ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَقُومُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَأَمِيلُ مَرَّةً عَلَى هَذِهِ الرِّجْلِ وَمَرَّةً عَلَى هَذِهِ الرِّجْلِ فَلَا أَدْرِي أَكَنْتُ أَعْدِلُ بَيْنَهُمَا أَمْ لَا فَسَمِعَهُمَا أَبُوهُمَا مِنْ دَاخِلِ الدَّارِ، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَا صَادِقَيْنِ فَأَمِتْهُمَا فَخَرَجَ فَإِذَا بِهِمَا قَدْ مَاتَا. ثلاثة من عباد بني إسرائيل ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْ عُبَّادِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ : عَنْ كَعْبٍ قَالَ: اجْتَمَعَ ثَلَاثَةُ عُبَّادٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَقَالُوا: تَعَالَوْا نَذْكُرُ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَّا أَعْظَمَ ذَنْبٍ عَمِلَهُ، فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَا أَذْكُرُ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ أَنِّي كُنْتُ مَعَ صَاحِبٍ لِي فَعَرَضَتْ لِي شَجَرَةٌ، فَخَرَجْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَفَزِعَ مِنِّي، وَقَالَ: اللَّهُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ. وَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: إِنَّا مَعْشَرَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِذَا أَصَابَ أَحَدَنَا بَوْلٌ قَطَعَهُ، فَأَصَابَنِي بَوْلٌ فَقَطَعْتُهُ فَلَمْ أُبَالِغْ فِي قَطْعِهِ. وَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمْ: كَانَتْ لِي وَالِدَةٌ، فَدَعَتْنِي مِنْ قِبَلِ شَمَالِ الرِّيحِ فَأَجَبْتُهَا وَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ فَجَاءَتْنِي مُغْضِبَةً [ فَجَعَلَتْ ] تَرْمِينِي بِالْحِجَارَةِ فَأَخَذْتُ عَصًا وَجِئْتُ لِأَقْعُدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا تَضْرِبُنِي بِهَا حَتَّى تُنْزِفَنِي [ فَفَزِعَتْ مِنِّي ] فَأَصَابَ وَجْهَهَا شَجَرَةٌ فَشَجَّتْهَا، فَهَذَا أَعْظَمُ ذَنْبٍ عَمِلْتُهُ. عابد من بني إسرائيل عَابِدٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ : عن بَكَّارُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ وَهْبَ بْنَ مُنَبِّهٍ يَقُولُ: كَانَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ أَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ، وَكَانَ يُزَارُ فَيَعِظُهُمْ، فَاجْتَمَعُوا إِلَيْهِ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّا قَدْ خَرَجْنَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَفَارَقْنَا الْأَهْلَ وَالْأَمْوَالَ مَخَافَةَ الطُّغْيَانِ، وَقَدْ خِفْتُ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ قَدْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا فِي حَالِنَا هَذِهِ مِنَ الطُّغْيَانِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَمْوَالِ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ إِنَّ أَحَدَنَا يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُقْضَى لَهُ حَاجَتُهُ، فَإِنِ اشْتَرَى [ أَحَدُنَا ] بَيْعًا أَنْ يُقَارَبَ لِمَكَانِ دِينِهِ، وَإِنْ لَقِيَ حُقَّ وَوَقَفَ بِمَكَانِ دِينِهِ. فَشَاعَ ذَلِكَ الْكَلَامُ حَتَّى بَلَغَ الْمَلِكَ، فَعَجِبَ بِهِ الْمَلِكُ فَرَكِبَ إِلَيْهِ لِيُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ [ وَيَنْظُرَ إِلَيْهِ ]، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ الرَّجُلُ قِيلَ لَهُ هَذَا الْمَلِكُ: قَدْ أَتَاكَ لِيُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْكَ، فَقَالَ: وَمَا نَصْنَعُ ؟ فَقِيلَ: الْكَلَامُ الَّذِي وَعَظْتَ بِهِ، فَسَأَلَ رَدَّهُ هَلْ عِنْدَكَ طَعَامٌ، فَقَالَ شَيْءٌ مِنْ تَمْرِ الشَّجَرِ، فَمَا كُنْتُ أُفْطِرُ بِهِ وَامْرَأَتِي مَعِي عَلَى مَسْحٍ فَوُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَأَخَذَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ، وَكَانَ يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَلَا يُفْطِرُ، فَوَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ الْمَلِكُ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَجَابَهُ خُفْيَةً، وَأَقْبَلَ عَلَى طَعَامِهِ، يَأْكُلُهُ، فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: فَأَيْنَ الرَّجُلُ قِيلَ لَهُ هُوَ هَذَا الَّذِي يَأْكُلُ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَمَا عِنْدَ هَذَا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَأَدْبَرَ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي صَرَفَكَ عَنِّي بِمَا صَرَفَكَ.. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: أَنَّهُ قُدِّمَ لَهُ بَقْلٌ وَزَيْتٌ وَحِمَّصٌ فَجَعَلَ يَجْمَعُ مِنَ الْبُقُولِ وَالطَّعَامِ وَيَطْعَمُ اللُّقْمَةَ وَيَغْمِسُهَا فِي الزَّيْتِ فَيَأْكُلُ أَكْلًا عَنِيفًا، فَرَآهُ الْمَلِكُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ. عابد آخر من بني إسرائيل عَابِدٌ آخَرُ مِنْهُمْ: عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ قَالَ: كَانَ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَابِدٌ فَلَبِثَ سَبْعًا لَمْ يَطْعَمْ هُوَ وَعِيَالُهُ شَيْئًا. فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ: لَوْ خَرَجْتَ وَطَلَبْتَ لَنَا شَيْئًا. فَخَرَجَ فَوَقَفَ مَعَ الْعُمَّالِ فَاسْتُؤْجِرَ الْعُمَّالُ، وَصَرَفَ [ اللَّهُ ] عَنْهُ الرِّزْقَ، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَأَعْمَلَنَّ الْيَوْمَ مَعَ رَبِّي. فَجَاءَ إِلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَاغْتَسَلَ وَمَا زَالَ رَاكِعًا وَسَاجِدًا، حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْسَى أَتَى أَهْلَهُ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ: مَاذَا صَنَعْتَ، فَقَالَ: قَدْ عَمِلْتُ مَعَ أُسْتَاذِي، وَقَدْ وَعَدَنِي أَنْ يُعْطِيَنِي، ثُمَّ غَدَا إِلَى السُّوقِ، فَوَقَفَ مَعَ الْعُمَّالِ، فَاسْتُؤْجِرَ الْعُمَّالُ وَصَرَفَ [ اللَّهُ ] عَنْهُ الرِّزْقَ، وَلَمْ يَسْتَأْجِرْهُ أَحَدٌ، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَأَعْمَلَنَّ [ الْيَوْمَ ] مَعَ رَبِّي، فَجَاءَ إِلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ فَاغْتَسَلَ، وَمَا زَالَ رَاكِعًا وَسَاجِدًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْسَى أَقْبَلَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ: مَاذَا صَنَعْتَ، قَالَ: إِنَّ أُسْتَاذِي قَدْ وَعَدَنِي أَنْ يَجْمَعَ لِي أَجْرِي، فَخَاصَمَتْهُ امْرَأَتُهُ، وَبَرَزَتْ عَلَيْهِ، فَلِبَثَ يَتَقَلَّبُ ظَهْرًا لِبَطْنٍ وَبَطْنًا لِظَهْرِ، وَصِبْيَانُهُ يَتَضَاغَوْنَ جُوعًا. ثُمَّ غَدَا إِلَى السُّوقِ فَاسْتُؤْجِرَ الْعُمَّالُ، وَصُرِفَ عَنْهُ الرِّزْقُ، وَلَمْ يَسْتَأْجِرْهُ أَحَدٌ، فَقَالَ: وَاللَّهِ لَأَعْمَلَنَّ مَعَ رَبِّي، فَجَاءَ إِلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ، فَاغْتَسَلَ وَمَا زَالَ رَاكِعًا وَسَاجِدًا، حَتَّى إِذَا أَمْسَى، قَالَ: أَيْنَ أَمْضِي، تَرَكْتُ أَقْوَامًا يَتَضَاغَوْنَ جُوعًا، ثُمَّ تَحَمَّلَ عَلَى جَهْدٍ مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا قَرُبَ مِنْ دَارِهِ، سَمِعَ ضَحِكًا وَسُرُورًا، وَسَمِعَ رَائِحَةَ قَدِيدٍ وَرَائِحَةَ شِوَاءٍ، فَأَخَذَ عَلَى بَصَرِهِ وَقَالَ: أَنَائِمٌ أَنَا أَمْ يَقِظَانُ، تَرَكْتُ أَقْوَامًا يَتَضَاغَوْنَ جُوعًا، وَأَشُمُّ رَائِحَةَ قَدِيدٍ وَرَائِحَةَ شِوَاءٍ، وَأَسْمَعُ ضَحِكًا وَسُرُورًا ثُمَّ دَنَا مِنَ الْبَابِ فَطَرَقَ الْبَابَ، فَخَرَجَتِ امْرَأَتُهُ حَاسِرَةً وَقَدْ حَسِرَتْ عَنْ ذِرَاعَيْهَا وَهِيَ تَضْحَكُ فِي وَجْهِهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَتْ: يَا فُلَانُ قَدْ جَاءَنَا رَسُولُ أُسْتَاذِكَ بِدَنَانِيرَ، وَدَرَاهِمَ وَكِسَاءٍ، وَوَدَكٍ وَدَقِيقٍ، وَقَالَ: إِذَا جَاءَ فُلَانٌ فَأَقْرِءُوهُ السَّلَامَ وَقُولُوا لَهُ: إِنَّ أُسْتَاذَكَ يَقُولُ لَكَ: رَأَيْتُ عَمَلَكَ فَرَضِيتُهُ، فَإِنْ أَنْتَ زِدْتَنِي فِي الْعَمَلِ زِدْتُكَ فِي الْأُجْرَةِ. عَابِدَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ يُقَالُ لَهَا سَارَةُ : عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ مُنَبِّهٍ قَالَ: أُتِيَ بِامْرَأَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ يُقَالُ لَهَا سَارَةُ وَسَبْعَةُ بَنِينَ لَهَا إِلَى مَلِكٍ كَانَ يَفْتِنُ النَّاسَ عَلَى أَكْلِ لَحْمِ الْخِنْزِيرِ. فَدَعَا أَكْبَرَهُمْ فَقَرَّبَ إِلَيْهِ لَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ، فَقَالَ: كُلْ، فَقَالَ: مَا كُنْتُ لِآكُلَ شَيْئًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَبَدًا، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَقُطِعَتْ يَدَاهُ وَرَجُلَاهُ، ثُمَّ قَطَعَهُ عُضْوًا عُضْوًا حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَا بِالَّذِي يَلِيهِ فَقَالَ: كَلْ، فَقَالَ: مَا كُنْتُ لِآكُلَ شَيْئًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، فَأُمِرَ بِقِدْرٍ مِنْ نُحَاسٍ فَمُلِئَتْ زَيْتًا ثُمَّ أُغْلِيَتْ حَتَّى إِذَا غَلَتْ أَلْقَاهُ فِيهَا، ثُمَّ دَعَا الَّذِي يَلِيهِ، فَقَالَ: كُلْ، فَقَالَ: مَا كُنْتُ لِآكُلَ شَيْئًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى، فَقَتَلَهُ، ثُمَّ دَعَا الَّذِي يَلِيهِ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ أَذَلُّ وَأَقَلُّ وَأَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ أَنْ آكُلَ شَيْئًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيَّ فَضَحِكَ الْمَلِكُ، وَقَالَ: أَتَدْرُونَ مَا أَرَادَ بِشَتْمِهِ إِيَّايَ، أَرَادَ أَنْ يُغْضِبَنِي، فَأُعَجِّلَ فِي قَتْلِهِ وَلِيُخْطِئَهُ ذَلِكَ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ، فَجَزَّ جِلْدَةَ عُنُقِهِ، ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِهِ أَنْ يُسْلَخَ جِلْدَةُ رَأْسِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ فَسَلَخُوهُ سَلْخًا، فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَقْتُلُ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ بِلَوْنٍ غَيْرِ قَتْلِ أَخِيهِ حَتَّى بَقِيَ أَصْغَرُهُمْ، فَالْتَفَتَ بِهِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ، فَقَالَ: لَقَدْ رَثَيْتُ لَكِ مِمَّا رَأَيْتِ فَانْطَلِقِي بِابْنِكِ هَذَا فَأَخْلِي بِهِ وَأَنْقِذِيهِ عَلَى أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لُقْمَةً وَاحِدَةً فَيَعِيشُ لَكِ قَالَتْ: نَعَمْ. فَخَلَتْ بِهِ، فَقَالَتْ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ إِنَّهُ كَانَ لِي عَلَى كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْ إِخْوَتِكَ حَقُّ، وَلِي عَلَيْكَ حَقَّانِ.، وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي أَرْضَعْتُ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ حَوْلَيْنِ، فَمَاتَ أَبُوكَ وَأَنْتَ حِمْلٌ، فَأَرْضَعْتُكَ لِضَعْفِكَ وَرَحْمَتِي إِيَّاكَ أَرْبَعَةً أَعْوَامٍ فَأَسْأَلُكَ بِاللَّهِ وَحَقِّي أَمَا صَبَرْتَ وَلَمْ تَأْكُلْ شَيْئًا مِمَّا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَلَا تَلْقَيَّنَ أُخْوَتَكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَسْتَ مَعَهُمْ، فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَسْمَعَنِي هَذَا مِنْكِ، أَمَا كُنْتُ أَخَافُ أَنْ تُرِيدِينِي عَلَى أَنْ آكُلَ [ مِمَّا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ ]. ثُمَّ جَاءَتْ بِهِ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَتْ: هَا هُوَ ذَا قَدْ أَرَدْتُهُ وَعَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَمَرَهُ الْمَلِكُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ، فَقَالَ: مَا كُنْتُ لِآكُلَ شَيْئًا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ، فَقَتَلَهُ وَأَلْحَقَهُ بِأُخْوَتِهِ، وَقَالَ لِأُمِّهِمْ: إِنِّي لَأَجِدُنِي أَرْثِي لَكِ، فَمَا رَأَيْتِ الْيَوْمَ، وَيْحَكَ، فَكُلِي لُقْمَةً ثُمَّ أَصْنَعُ بِكِ مَا شِئْتِ وَأُعْطِيكِ مَا أَحْبَبْتِ تَعِيشِينَ بِهِ، قَالَتْ: مَا أَجْمَعُ بَيْنَ ثُكْلِ وَلَدِي وَمَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَلَوْ حَيِيتُ بَعْدَهُمْ مَا أَرَدْتُ ذَلِكَ، وَمَا كُنْتُ لِآكُلَ شَيْئًا مِمَّا حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَبَدًا فَقَتَلَهَا وَأَلْحَقَهَا بِبَنِيهَا
Translation
✧ A worshipper among the monks: Wahb b. Munabbih said: There was a worshipper among the worshippers of the Children of Israel who worshipped God for a long time in his cell, keeping chaste and renouncing the world until the devils complained about him to Iblīs. They said: So-and-so has defeated us; we can get nothing from him. He said: Iblīs himself undertook the task against him. He came to him and knocked on his monastery. He said: Who is this? He said: A wayfarer. Open for me so that I may shelter for the night in your monastery. The worshipper said to him: There are villages not far from you; turn to one of them and shelter there. He said: Fear God and open for me, for I fear thieves and wild beasts. He said: I am not one to open for you. Iblīs fell silent, then knocked on the door of the monastery and said: Open for me. He said: Who is this? He said: I am the Messiah. He said: If you are the Messiah, I have no need of you; you have conveyed the messages of your Lord, and your appointment is the Hereafter. Iblīs fell silent, then knocked on his monastery and said: Open for me. He said: Who are you? He said: I am Iblīs. He said: I am not one to open for you. Iblīs said: You have what belongs to God, and you have—and he began to pledge to him—I will never act to your harm. Open. He said: So he came down and opened the door for him, and Iblīs ascended and sat before him. He said: Ask me whatever you wish, and I will inform you. He said: I have no need of you. He said: Iblīs rose and turned away, but he called to him: Come back; it has occurred to me to ask you. He said: Ask. He said: What is the easiest thing for you in destroying the son of Adam? He said: Drunkenness, for when the son of Adam becomes drunk he does not withhold from us anything we desire; then we play with him as boys play with a ball. He said: And what else? He said: Anger. If the son of Adam were to reach in the worship of God Almighty what revives the dead by God's permission, we would not despair of getting at him in some moment of his anger. He said: And what else? He said: Avarice. He said: The son of Adam comes, and we make God's favor seem small to him and make what is in people's hands seem great to him, until he becomes miserly with God's right in his wealth, and so he perishes. Two brothers, worshippers among the Children of Israel: From Abū Maʿbad, who said: I heard Bilāl b. Saʿd say: There were two brothers among the Children of Israel who went out to worship. When the road was about to separate them, one of them said to his companion: You take this road, and I will take this road; when the beginning of the year comes, that is the appointed meeting between me and you. So they went out to worship. When the beginning of the year drew near, they met at that place. One of them said to his companion: What is the greatest sin you committed in what you did? He said: While I was walking on the road, I came upon an ear of grain, and I took it and threw it into one of two plots of land, one on my right and one on my left; I do not know whether it was the land into which I threw it or the other. Then the one who had been asked said to the questioner: What is the greatest sin you committed in what you did? He said: I would stand in prayer and lean once on this foot and once on this foot; I do not know whether I treated them equally or not. Their father heard them from inside the house and said: O God, if they are sincere, then cause them to die. He went out, and there they were, both dead. Three of the worshippers of the Children of Israel: From Kaʿb, who said: Three worshippers of the Children of Israel gathered and said: Come, let each of us mention the greatest sin he has committed. One of them said: As for me, I do not recall any sin greater than that I was with a companion of mine, and a tree appeared before me, and I came out upon him and startled him, and he said: God is between me and you. One of them said: We, the community of the Children of Israel, when urine touched one of us, he would cut it off. Urine touched me, and I cut it off, but I did not go to the full extent in cutting it. One of them said: I had a mother. She called me from the direction of the north wind, and I answered her, but she did not hear. She came to me angry and began to throw stones at me. I took a stick and came to sit before her so that she might strike me with it until she exhausted me. She was startled by me, and a tree struck her face and gashed it. This is the greatest sin I have committed. A worshipper among the Children of Israel: From Bakkār b. ʿAbd Allāh, that he heard Wahb b. Munabbih say: There was a man among the best people of his time, and he used to be visited and he would admonish them. One day they gathered to him, and he said: We have left this world and parted from family and wealth out of fear of tyranny. I fear that tyranny may have entered into our present state more than it enters upon the owners of wealth in their wealth. Each of us likes his need to be fulfilled; if one of us buys a sale, he likes to be accommodated because of his religion; and if he is wronged, he stops because of his religion. That speech spread until it reached the king. The king marveled at it and rode to him to greet him and look at him. When the man saw him, it was said to him: This is the king; he has come to greet you. He said: What shall we do? It was said: The speech with which you admonished. He asked: Can he be turned back? Do you have food? He said: Some dates from the tree—what I break my fast with—and my wife is with me on a haircloth. So it was placed before him, and he began to eat from it. He used to fast during the day and not break his fast. The king stopped before him and greeted him, and he answered him softly, then turned to his food and ate it. The king said: Where is the man? It was said to him: This is the one who is eating. He said: Indeed. He said: There is no good in this one. And he turned away. The man said: Praise be to God, who turned you away from me by what He turned you away. And in another version: that greens, oil, and chickpeas were brought to him, and he began to gather the greens and the food, eating the morsel and dipping it in the oil, eating ravenously. The king saw him and went away from him. Another worshipper among them: From Wahb b. Munabbih, who said: Among the Children of Israel there was a worshipper. For seven days he and his family had not eaten anything. His wife said to him: Why not go out and seek something for us? So he went out and stood with the laborers. The laborers were hired, and God turned provision away from him. He said: By God, today I will work with my Lord. He came to the seashore and bathed, and remained bowing and prostrating until evening came. Then he went to his family. His wife said to him: What did you do? He said: I worked with my master, and he promised to give me something. Then he went in the morning to the market and stood with the laborers. The laborers were hired, and God turned provision away from him, and no one hired him. He said: By God, today I will work with my Lord. He came to the seashore and bathed, and remained bowing and prostrating until evening came. Then he came to his dwelling. His wife said to him: What did you do? He said: My master has promised to gather my wages for me. His wife quarreled with him and opposed him. He remained tossing from back to belly and from belly to back, while his children wailed from hunger. Then he went in the morning to the market. The laborers were hired, and provision was turned away from him, and no one hired him. He said: By God, I will work with my Lord. He came to the seashore and bathed, and remained bowing and prostrating until evening came. He said: Where shall I go? I left people wailing from hunger. Then he forced himself onward with effort. When he drew near his house, he heard laughter and joy, and he smelled the scent of dried meat and the scent of roasting. He put his hand over his eyes and said: Am I asleep or awake? I left people wailing from hunger, and I smell the scent of dried meat and roasting, and I hear laughter and joy. Then he approached the door and knocked. His wife came out with her head uncovered, having bared her forearms, laughing in his face. Then she said: O so-and-so, your master's messenger has come to us with dinars, dirhams, clothing, fat, and flour. He said: When so-and-so comes, convey to him peace, and say to him: Your master says to you: I saw your work and approved of it. If you increase me in work, I will increase you in wages. A female worshipper of the Children of Israel called Sārah: From Wahb b. Munabbih, who said: A woman of the Children of Israel called Sārah was brought with her seven sons to a king who used to tempt people to eat pork. He called the eldest of them and brought pork near to him, and said: Eat. He said: I would never eat anything that God, Mighty and Majestic, has forbidden. So he ordered him, and his hands and feet were cut off; then he was cut limb by limb until he killed him. Then he called the next one and said: Eat. He said: I would never eat anything that God Almighty has forbidden. So a copper pot was ordered, filled with oil, and heated until it boiled; then he cast him into it. Then he called the next one and said: Eat. He said: I would never eat anything that God Almighty has forbidden. So he killed him. Then he called the next one, and he said: You are too lowly, too insignificant, and too contemptible before God for me to eat anything that God Almighty has forbidden to me. The king laughed and said: Do you know what he meant by insulting me? He wanted to anger me so that I would hasten his death, and that was to be denied him. He ordered him, and the skin of his neck was cut; then he ordered that the skin of his head and face be flayed, and they flayed him. He continued killing each one of them with a different manner of death from that of his brother, until the youngest of them remained. He turned with him to his mother and said: I have felt pity for you because of what you have seen. Go with this son of yours, be alone with him, and save him, provided that he eats a single morsel, so that he may live for you. She said: Yes. So she was alone with him and said: My son, I had a right over each man of your brothers, and I have two rights over you. That is because I suckled each one for two years. Your father died while you were a fetus, and I suckled you, because of your weakness and my mercy toward you, for four years. I ask you by God and by my right: will you not be patient and not eat anything that God has forbidden to you, and not meet your brothers on the Day of Resurrection while you are not with them? He said: Praise be to God, who has made me hear this from you. I had feared that you would urge me to eat what God has forbidden. Then she brought him to the king and said: Here he is; I have tried to persuade him and presented it to him. The king ordered him to eat, and he said: I would never eat anything that God has forbidden to me. So he killed him and joined him to his brothers. He said to their mother: I find myself feeling pity for you. What you have seen today—woe to you—eat a morsel, and then I will do with you what you wish and give you what you love to live by. She said: I will not combine the loss of my children with disobedience to God, Mighty and Majestic. Even if I lived after them, I would not want that, and I would never eat anything that God Almighty has forbidden. So he killed her and joined her to her sons.
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No grade is recorded for this wording.